The present invention relates to comminuting apparatus, especially to improvements in apparatus for cutting foodstuffs, such as various types of meats including bacon. The cutting may involve severing pieces of bacon to form strips or slices, subdivision of the thus obtained slices into elongated rods and/or dicing of foodstuffs, e.g., by severing the rods at regular intervals so that each rod yields a plurality of cubes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,505 granted Jan. 20, 1970 to Holz discloses a cutting device wherein a pusher advances foodstuffs along an elongated path into the range of several comminuting implements including reciprocable horizontal knives, reciprocable vertical knives and a rotary dicing knife. The foodstuffs are introduced into the path from above, and the pusher thereupon advances forwardly, usually in stepwise fashion, to move the introduced foodstuffs into the range of various knives.
As a rule, the frame or support of a cutting apparatus of the above outlined character consists of cast aluminum. Such material is also used for the manufacture of that part of the support which defines the path for advancement of foodstuffs into the range of cutting implements. Apparatus which consist, or the major components of which consist, of cast aluminum are relatively inexpensive and their weight is low so that such apparatus can be readily transported to and from the locale of use. Moreover, by resorting to a casting technique, one can produce complex parts or assemblies of parts at a reasonable cost.
The results of recently completed tests in connection with the processing of foodstuffs indicate that direct contact between aluminum and certain types of foods is not desirable, especially in regions where the parts which consist of aluminum are subjected to pronounced wear. This applies for the receptacle of the aforediscussed apparatus.
Certain presently known attempts to prevent direct contact between foodstuffs (particularly meats) and aluminum include the provision of corrosion-resistant liners serving to coat those surfaces of parts made of aluminum which would come in direct contact with the processed material. The liners are permanently attached to the adjacent parts and are made of stainless steel. For example, it is already known to provide the magazine or receptacle of the aforediscussed patented apparatus with a permanently installed liner which coats the aluminum casting and thus shields the introduced material from direct contact with aluminum. A drawback of such proposal is that the coating of aluminum parts with liners of stainless steel contributes significantly to the initial cost of the apparatus. Furthermore, the application of liners cannot be carried out with such degree of precision that particles of foodstuffs cannot penetrate between the liner and the adjacent parts of the apparatus. The thus confined particles constitute breeding grounds for bacteria and cannot be removed unless the apparatus is taken apart, i.e., unless the liner is forcibly detached from the adjacent parts. This entails long interruptions of operation and reduces the output of such apparatus. Moreover, remnants of particles in the gaps (even extremely narrow gaps) between a liner and the adjacent component or components are likely to contaminate the material which is being processed, i.e., those foodstuffs which are advanced into the range of cutting implements and issue from the apparatus in the form of slices, rods and/or cubes. Thus, there exists an urgent need for apparatus which are sanitary and sufficiently inexpensive to warrant their use not only in larger but also in smaller food processing plants and/or households.